3.1. Double hiragana for consonants + y + vowels

A double kana consists of two kana, but it stands for a single mora, not two morae. All of the double hiragana shown here are combinations of a hiragana for a consonant + "i" and a smaller kind of hiragana of either , , or ("ya", "yu", "yo"). The rule is simple: to write the mora "CyV" ("C" is a consonant and "V" is a vowel), use the kana for "Ci" and the small kana for "yV". For example, the mora "kya" is written with the kana for "ki" and the small kana for "ya".

k + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

kya

[kja]

English "k" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "a".

kyu

[kj]

English "k" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "u".

kyo

[kjo]

English "k" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "o".

g + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

gya

[gja]

English "g" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "a".

gyu

[gj]

English "g" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "u".

gyo

[gjo]

English "g" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "o".

s + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

sya (sha)

[a]

Similar to English "sh" + Japanese "a".
See for Japanese "sh".

syu (shu)

[]

Similar to English "sh" + Japanese "u".

syo (sho)

[o]

Similar to English "sh" + Japanese "o".

z + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

zya (ja)

[a]

Similar to English "j" + Japanese "a".
See for Japanese "j".

zyu (ju)

[]

Similar to English "j" + Japanese "u".

zyo (jo)

[o]

Similar to English "j" + Japanese "o".

t + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

tya (cha)

[a]

Similar to English "ch" + Japanese "a".
See for Japanese "ch".

tyu (chu)

[]

Similar to English "ch" + Japanese "u".

tyo (cho)

[o]

Similar to English "ch" + Japanese "o".

d + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

zya (ja)

[a]

Similar to English "j" + Japanese "a".

zyu (ju)

[]

Similar to English "j" + Japanese "u".

zyo (jo)

[o]

Similar to English "j" + Japanese "o".

n + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

nya

[nja]

Similar to Spanish "ñ" + Japanese "a".
See for actual pronunciation.
You can pronounce it as English "ny" + Japanese "a".

nyu

[nj]

Similar to Spanish "ñ" + Japanese "u".
You can pronounce it as English "ny" + Japanese "u".

nyo

[njo]

Similar to Spanish "ñ" + Japanese "o".
You can pronounce it as English "ny" + Japanese "o".

h + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

hya

[ça]

German "ch" + Japanese "a".
See for German "ch".
You can pronounce it as English "hy" + Japanese "a".

hyu

[ç]

German "ch" + Japanese "u".
You can pronounce it as English "hy" + Japanese "u".

hyo

[ço]

German "ch" + Japanese "o".
You can pronounce it as English "hy" + Japanese "o".

b + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

bya

[bja]

English "b" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "a".

byu

[bj]

English "b" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "u".

byo

[bjo]

English "b" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "o".

p + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

pya

[pja]

English "p" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "a".

pyu

[pj]

English "p" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "u".

pyo

[pjo]

English "p" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "o".

m + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

mya

[mja]

English "m" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "a".

myu

[mj]

English "m" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "u".

myo

[mjo]

English "m" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "o".

r + y + vowels:

Hiragana

Romanization

Pronunciation

Description

rya

[ja]

Japanese "r" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "a".

ryu

[j]

Japanese "r" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "u".

ryo

[jo]

Japanese "r" + Japanese "y" + Japanese "o".

Hiragana examples:

Hiragana:

Pitch:

L

H

Romanization:

o

tya

Meaning:

green tea (noun)

For your interest: This word actually means all kinds of tea, and tea often means green tea in Japan. If you want to distinguish various teas, use the word "ryokutya" for green tea and the word "kôtya" for European tea. Japanese tea is not always green; "hôzitya" (roasted tea) and "genmaitya" (roasted tea with popped rice) are brown. Other than them, "ûrontya" (oolong tea) and "mugitya" (barley tea) are popular. Japanese people never use sugar or milk for any tea but European tea.